Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Chief Sterling Owen named Officer Leslie Bowman the June Officer of the Month for the Knoxville Police Department. Officer Bowman has been with the department since November 2003.
Chief Owen said that on June 5, 2007, at approximately 9:15 p.m., Officer Bowman was in the parking lot of the Weigel's Convenient Store on Gleason Road when she observed a male subject acting very suspicious at the side of the building. When the subject was approached he fled on foot. As the subject was running, he was wearing a hooded jacket and was holding an object in front of his pants. The subject was pursued into a wooded area near the Weigle's where he was taken into custody. The subject had removed the jacket and discarded what was believed to be a handgun while fleeing. The suspect, Darryl Davis (DOB 7-27-66), was immediately arrested for Public Intoxication and Evading Arrest. Chief Owen said the follow up investigation revealed that Davis had an extensive violent criminal history out of Indiana including charges of Auto Theft and Attempted Murder. Davis also matched the description of the suspect wanted for two convenient store armed robberies that had occurred during the past five days. Davis was subsequently charged with the two armed robberies. In addition, Davis was also a person of interest to the FBI concerning the May 8, 2007, robbery of the Am South Bank on Kingston Pike. The FBI was able to connect Davis to the Am South robbery and charged him with the Hobb's Act. Davis remains a person of interest in several bank robberies in the Illinois area.
"Due to Officer Bowman's keen observation skills, this very serious offender was removed from our streets before he could victimize another innocent citizen," said Chief Owen.
Mayor Haslam said, "We commend Officer Bowman for her actions in observing this suspicious subject and for taking him into custody. Due to her actions, this subject will be unable to victimize the residents of Knoxville for a long time, if ever again."
Officer Bowman will receive a signed certificate from the mayor and chief and a free dinner from Ruby Tuesday restaurant.